Dry eye syndrome is very common in Santa Clarita. After all, this is a desert climate that we live in. Dry eye syndrome occurs whenever a person has a deficiency in a layer of the tear film. Tears are actually composed of three layers. The inner layer is composed of a substance called “mucin.” Mucin is produced by “goblet cells” which are present in the outer layer over the white part of the eye, called conjunctiva. Mucin helps the tear film to spread evenly over the surface of the eye. The middle layer is called the aqueous layer. This is produced by the lacrimal glands. The lacrimal gland is located above the eye behind the bony orbital rim. The outer oily layer of the tear film produced by glands in the eyelid margin are called “Meibomian glands.” Sometimes you might see small bumps on the lid margin at the openings of these glands. This layer helps keep the tears from evaporating quickly. Any problem with any of these three layers will produce dry eye symptoms. These symptoms include burning, a sandy or gritty sensation, and yes, tearing! These symptoms tend to be worse toward the end of the day. Why should your eyes tear when they are dry? The answer is that the tearing is reflex tearing. When the eyes are dry they send a signal to the brain. The brain in turn responds by stimulating the lacrimal gland to produce more tears.
What are some causes of dry eye syndrome? There are many! Dry eyes are a common side effect of medications, especially of allergy medications and many others. Dry eye syndrome is also associated with certain diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other related diseases. Rosacea effects the eyes by causing the Meibomian glands in the eyelids to not function normally.
The treatment of dry eye syndrome will depend upon which tear layer is affected. Treatment may include artificial tears, silicone plugs in the tear ducts to prevent the tears from escaping the eye quickly, Restasis to help produce mucin, and treatment for Rosacea to help the Meibomian glands to function normally. A complete ocular examination would help determine which treatment would produce the best results in your case.
For more information please call 661-259-3937.